Pros

Cons

Doesn't support HomeKit or IFTTT.

Bottom Line

The Schalge Encode is a Wi-Fi-enabled smart lock can be controlled via phone and voice and integrates with Amazon Key and Ring cameras.

July 25, 2019

The Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt ($249) is Schlage's latest smart door lock and its first Wi-Fi lock that you can access remotely without the need for a hub. Designed for easy installation, the Encode offers a user-friendly mobile app that makes scheduling and programming a snap, and it can be controlled using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. The lock is quiet and performed well in testing, but it lacks the support for Apple HomeKit and IFTTT that you get with our Editors' Choice, the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect.

Design and Features

As with the Schlage Sense lock, the Encode offers a choice of two trim styles, the chiseled Century and the curvier Camelot. You can order it with a Matte Black or a Satin Nickel finish. This is a complete lock assembly that includes a deadbolt latch mechanism, a weatherproof exterior keypad escutcheon, an interior escutcheon, four AA batteries, assorted mounting hardware, a backup key, and a quick start guide. The lock fits doors that are between 1-3/8 and 1-3/4 inches thick and uses the standard 2-1/8-inch lockset hole and 1-inch latch hole.

The exterior escutcheon measures 5.0 by 3.0 by 0.9 inches (HWD) and has a keyway for use with a physical key and a 12-button capacitive touch-screen keypad with 0-9 buttons, a lock button, and a house icon that flashes a blue check mark when a correct code is entered. If you enter an incorrect code, the house icon will flash a red X mark. A beep accompanies each complete code entry. The interior escutcheon measures 5.5 by 3.0 by 2.2 inches and contains a thumbscrew knob for manual locking and unlocking. Beneath a removable cover are a battery compartment for four AA batteries, a pairing button, an embedded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio, and a tamper alarm.

Unlike the RemoteLock OpenEdge RG, the Encode doesn't require a cloud subscription to add users and to view the lock's activity history. You can generate up to 100 permanent, recurring, or temporary access codes and schedule specific start and end dates and times, and you can have the app send a push alert that tells you when the lock is locked and unlocked and by whom. The lock can be manually programmed using the keypad, but it's much easier to use the Schlage Home mobile app for Android and iOS devices. The app opens to a home screen that shows the door name and contains a large lock icon that tells you whether the door is locked or unlocked. Tap the icon to lock or unlock the door.

At the bottom of the screen are Settings, History, and Access Codes buttons. The Settings button takes you to a screen where you can enable/disable the tamper alarm, change Auto-Lock delay timing, and configure Wi-Fi and notification settings. The History button opens a screen that displays a list of lock and unlock events with the time, date, and user. It also shows when access codes have been generated and for whom, and when the firmware was last updated. To view a list of generated user codes, tap the Access Codes button. Here you can create and edit user codes, create duration and access schedules for each code, and create virtual keys that give users the ability to control the lock using the mobile app.

The Schlage Encode supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, and it integrates with Amazon Key, which lets you open and close the lock from within the Key app and grant access based on scheduled Amazon deliveries. Moreover, when the lock is paired with Amazon Key, it will work with Ring devices. For example, you can lock and unlock the Encode from within the Ring app after you've viewed a live feed from your Ring doorbell. That said, the Encode doesn't offer the support for integrations via Apple's HomeKit that you get with the Schlage Sense and Friday smart locks, nor does it support IFTTT applets like the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect does.

Installation and Performance

Installing and programming the Encode lock is easy. I downloaded the mobile app, created an account, and verified my email address. When I opened the app I was given a choice to view step-by-step installation instructions, or to move on to the pairing procedure. The installation instructions tell you what tools you'll need and offer illustrated directions on removing your old lock and installing the Encode lock.

I removed my old lock and installed the latch assembly using the two included screws. I then attached the exterior keypad to the door using the included mounting plate and bolts, then connected the keypad data cable to the interior escutcheon cable. I slid the keypad's tailpiece into the hub of the interior escutcheon, attached the escutcheon to the mounting plate, and installed the four AA batteries.

With the lock installed, I followed the on-screen instructions to scan the QR code located on the battery compartment using my phone's camera, and then pressed the pairing button. I was prompted to connect the lock to my Wi-Fi and selected my SSID from the list, entered my password, and waited around 30 seconds for the Encode to connect. Next, I gave the lock a location name and created an Access Code (four to eight digits). I opened the door slightly and pressed Next to calibrate the lock, which took just a few seconds. I updated the firmware, replaced the battery cover, and the installation was complete.

The Encode worked perfectly in my tests. The lock's motor was relatively quiet and the touch-screen keypad was very responsive. The lock responded instantly to manually entered access codes as well as lock and unlock commands in the app, and temporary access codes adhered to their schedules without issue. I was able to quickly lock and unlock the Encode using Alexa voice commands, but in order to use the unlock feature, I had to create a PIN in the Alexa app and give it to Alexa whenever the unlock command was issued. This makes perfect sense: Otherwise anyone would be able to unlock the door with a voice command.

Conclusions

With the Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt smart lock, you can lock and unlock your door from anywhere using your Android or iOS phone. It performed well in testing and was easy to install, and creating user codes and access schedules is quick and easy using the Schlage Home app. The Encode can also be locked and unlocked using Alexa and Google voice commands, and it works with Amazon Key to grant access for in-home deliveries, as well as Ring doorbells and cameras. That said, it doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform, nor does work with IFTTT applets. For that you'll need our Editors' Choice, the August Smart Lock Pro + Connect, which comes with a small plug-in Wi-Fi bridge and is equipped with Bluetooth and Z-Wave radios, and supports Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands.

About the Author

As a Contributing Editor for PC Magazine, John Delaney has been testing and reviewing monitors, HDTVs, PCs, servers, and other assorted hardware and peripherals for more than 14 years. A 13-year veteran of PC Magazine's Labs (most recently as Director of Operations), John was responsible for the recruitment, training and management of the Labs technical staff, as well as evaluating and maintaining the integrity of the Labs testing machines and procedures.

Prior to joining Ziff Davis Publishing, John spent six years in retail operations for Federated Stores, Inc. before accepting a purchasing position with Morris Decision Systems, one of New York's first value-added resellers of the original IBM PC. For … See Full Bio